Cleanout plug



W. H. ARMACOST CLEANOUT PLUG Nav. 3o, 1943.

Filed June 20, 1942 30 n 12' @i 5 Z sa I N VEN TOR.

H TTORNE Y M'flr rmacas y h.- @www Patented Nov. 30, 1943 cLEANoUT PLUG Wilbur H. Armacost, Slcarsdale, N. Y., assigner :to The Superheater Company, New York, ,N. Y.

Application June 20, 1942, Serial N0. 447,868

(Cl. 13S- 95) endwise against it and provides an effective uid 5 Claims.

The present invention relates to heat transfer apparatus and particularly to an improved cleanout plug for tubular iiuid circulating elements.

Where, as in econornizers, heat transfer tubes are `positioned in parallel relation and interconnected for series fluid ilow by return bends, it is desirable that access may be had to the interior of the tubes for cleaning them. Various types of removable closures have been provided at the return bends for this purpose; the present invention relates to a cleanout plug in which the closure element and the parts that maintain it in place Within the return bend are removable as a unit so that they may be kept together to avoid loss and assure ready replacement. A further feature ofthe improved cleanout plug is Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1; l

Figure 4 is a sectional View on the line 4-4 in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is an elevational View of one part of the cleanout plug.

The tubes I and I I, which may be considered to represent two parallel pipes of an economizer or the like, are serially in terconnected at one end by an integrally' formed breeches piece I2. Fixed to the open end of the breeches piece I2 by a weld joint I3 is a special tubular end 'piece i4 having an axial bore alined with that of the breeches piece. The bore of end piece I4 is countersunk to provide an annular shoulder I5 against which a closure member I6 in the form of a circular disc may be seated to form a uidtight joint at the outer end of the return bend formed by the breeches piece. The end section I4 is ci low carbon steel While the closure member i6 is made from a metal that is relatively harder and is formed on the portion thereof registering with the annular seat I5 in the end piece with a plurality of sharp protuberances or serrations il. This arrangement permits the serrations il to bite into the surf-ace of the seating shoulder I5 when the closure member I6 is forced diametrically tight seal.

It will be apparent that instead of providing a special end piece of softer metal than the closure member I6 the end portion of the breeches piece itself might be the softer element whether because the material of the tubes was originally softer or because of special treatment. Furthermore, with or Without a separate end piece I4 the annular seat I5 of softer metal for the closure disc I6 might be provided in the form of a washer-like insert which would then be interposed between the shoulder I5 and the closure member I6.

The closure member i6 in the bore at the end of the breeches piece is mounted on a carrier 2B. On its inner end face the carrier 26 has a recess 2| into which a reduce-d central neck portion 22 of the closure member I6 is loosely inserted so that the closure member I6 may be moved relatively to the carrier 20 toward the seat I5 by a set screw 23 threadedly engaged in an opening extending axially of the carrier 20 from its outer end face to the base of the recess 2 I. While there may be relative movement between the member I6 and its carrier 26 these parts are maintained in their assembled relation by a circumferentially extending flange 25 at vthe outer end of the neck 22 on the closure member I6 adapted to engage against'an annular lip 26 at the inner end of the recess 2I. Lip 26 is formed by peening over the metal of the carrier member adjacent a circumferential groove 2l (Fig. 5) at the inner end of the recess 2l of the carrier member.

The carrier 20 is retained in a predetermined axial position with respect to the seat I5 by located lugs S) engaging in a recess about the bore in end piece i4, diametrical slots 32 (Fig. 2) extending from recess 3l to Ythe outer end face of end piece I4 providing a bayonet joint between the carrier and the end piece. Rotation of the carrier 20 with respect to the end piece I4 when in their assembled relation is prevented by a spring pressed locking pin 35 projecting from a pocket in the side Wall ci" the carrier 2U near its outer end and engaging in a notch 36 formed at the outer end of the end piece I4.

When the carrier member 26 has been inserted in the bore of end piece I4 and rotated to lock lugs 30 behind the shoulder parts of the recess 3| beyond slots 32 in the end piece I4, the set screw 23 may be turned to engage its inner end with the closure member I6 and force the latter against the seat I5 so that the hard metal serrations I'l become imbedded in the seat l5 of softer metal and assure fluid tight contact between the end face of the closure member and the annular seat l5. When it is desired to clean either of the tubes l or Il the set screw 23 may rst be backed olf somewhat to relieve the pressure between the lugs 3Q on the carrier and the outer side wall of recess 3| in the end piece i4. The locking pin 35 is then depressed so that the carrier 20 may be rotated to aline the lugs 30 thereon with the slots 32 in the end piece to enable the carrier 20 and closure member lto be drawn axially out of the end piece I4.

Because of the construction described above, the closure member I6 remains attached to its carrier 20 thereby preventing loss ofindividual parts of the cleanout plug. Furthermore when several cleanout plugs have been removed any one of them may be inserted in the breeches piece from which another may have been disserrations l1 on the end face of the closure member bite into and establish a new seat for a closure member on the soft shoulder within any breeches piece into which the cleanout plug is inserted.

What I claim is:

Y 1. A removable cleanout plug for a uid circulating pipe having a bore countersunk to provide an annular shoulder; a closure carrier removably mounted in the enlarged or countersunk part of said bore; means for maintaining said carrier xedly positioned in said bore outwardly of said shoulder; a closure member interposed between said carrier and said shoulder having an end face adapted to seat against the latter in overlying relation with respect to said bore; a plurality of protuberances on the end face of said member opposite said shoulder and formed of relatively harder material than the latter; and a set screw or the like projecting axially through said carrier to engage and force said closure member toward said shoulder for causing said relatively hard protuberances to bite into the soft surface of the latter.

2.'A removable cleanout plug for a fluid circulating pipe having a bore countersunk to provide an annular shoulder; a closure carrier removably mounted in the enlarged or countersunk part of said bore; means for maintaining said carrier fixedly position in saidbore outwardly of said shoulder; a closure member loosely mounted on said carrier member and projecting beyond the inner end thereof to seat against said shoulder and overlie said bore; a plurality of sharp protuberances on said closure member registering with said annular shoulder and formed of relatively harder material than the latter; and an adjustable set screw projecting axially through said carrier into engagement with said closure member for moving it axially on said carrier into engagement with said shoulder to cause the protuberances on said closure member to become imbedded in the soft metal of lsaid shoulder.

its inner end face; means maintaining 3. A removable cleanout plug for a fluid circulating pipe comprising; an end piece of relatively soft metal attached to the pipe and formed with a bore alined with the pipe axis; an annular shoulder within said bore; a closure carrier removably mounted in said bore in outwardly spaced relation to said shoulder; a closure member interposed between said carrier and said shoulder and having an end face adapted to seat against the latter in overlying relation with respect to said bore; a plurality of protuberances located on the end face of said member opposite said shoulder and formed of relatively harder material than the latter; and a set screw or the like projecting axially through said carrier to engage and force said closure member toward said shoulder for causing said relatively hard protuberances to bite into the soft surface of the latter.

4. A removal cleanout plug for a fluid circulating pipe having a bore countersunk to provide an annular shoulder; a closure carrier removably mounted in the enlarged or countersunk part of said bore; means forming a bayonet joint between said end piece and carrier so arranged as to removably lock said carrier in said bore in outwardly spaced relation to said shoulder; a closure member loosely mounted on said carrier member and projecting beyond the inner end thereof to seat against said shoulder and overlie said bore; a plurality of sharp protuberances on said closure member registering with said annular shoulder and formed of relatively harder material than the latter; and an adjustable set screw projecting axially through said carrier into engagement with said closure member for moving it axially on said carrier into engagement with said shoulder to cause the protuberances on said closure memberto become imbedded in the soft metal of said shoulder.

5. A removable cleanout plug for a fluid circulating pipe having a bore countersunk to provide an annular shoulder; a closure carrier positioned in said bore formed with a recess in said carrier positioned in outwardly spaced relation with respect to said shoulder; a closure member interposed between said carrier and said shoulder having an end face adapted to seat against the latter in overlying relation with respect to said bore; a plurality of protuberances located on the end face of said member opposite said shoulder and formed of relatively harder material than the latter; a neck on the outer end of said closure extending into said recess in said carrier; cooperating shoulders on the neck of said closure member and the wall of said recess for loosely connecting them; and a set screw extending axially through said carrier into l with said annular shoulder.

VVILBUR H. ARMACOST. 

